23/06/2026 21:24 - Deportes
The Argentine national team, already qualified as first in Group J of the World Cup 2026, now knows its roadmap for the knockout phase. Lionel Scaloni's team will play the Round of 16 on Friday, July 3, 2026 at 19:00 (Argentine time) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, home of the Miami Dolphins NFL team and a venue that can hold over 65,000 spectators.
The opponent will be the runner-up from Group H, a group that remains wide open with Spain (4 points), Uruguay (2 points), Cape Verde (2 points), and Saudi Arabia (0 points). The group winner will face the runner-up from Group J. The final group stage matches will be played simultaneously on Friday, June 26.
If Argentina advances, they would play the Round of 16 on Tuesday, July 7 at 13:00 in Atlanta, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Spain currently leads Group H with 4 points, followed by Uruguay and Cape Verde with 2 points each, while Saudi Arabia sits at the bottom with 0 points. The decisive matches will be played on Friday, June 26 at 21:00 (Argentine time): Spain vs Uruguay and Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia.
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| Spain | 4 |
| Uruguay | 2 |
| Cape Verde | 2 |
| Saudi Arabia | 0 |
With first place secured, Argentina will close the group stage on Saturday, June 27 at 23:00 against Jordan in Dallas at AT&T Stadium. The coaching staff may implement rotations to manage physical load ahead of the knockout stage.
Cuti Romero (Cristian Romero), the starting center-back who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, has a minor issue with his right knee and will be preserved for the Round of 16. In training after the victory against Austria, the most intense work was done by players who had fewer minutes. Lionel Messi performed regenerative exercises. Scaloni will decide whether to use an alternative lineup or make partial changes. Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon left-back) and Julián Álvarez (Manchester City forward) could return to the starting eleven.
The World Cup 2026 implemented a new tiebreaker system that prioritizes head-to-head results over general goal difference. Argentina finished Group J with 6 points and a +5 goal difference, achieved through victories against Algeria (3-0) and Austria (2-0).
Lionel Messi broke four Guinness records in the victory against Austria: he became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history (18 goals), the player with the most matches played (28), the most wins (18), and the most minutes played (2,489) in tournament history. He also matched the record of Just Fontaine (1958) and Jairzinho (1970) by scoring in six consecutive World Cup matches. The captain will turn 39 years old on June 24, 2026, just days before the Round of 16 match.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
